Ellie vs Elsie
Ellie and Elsiecompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #119 and Elsie #8 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #15 and Elsie #55 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #18 and Elsie #27 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #32 and Elsie #24 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Elsie #31 among girls in Scotland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #33 and Elsie #371 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2023, Ellie was ranked #40 and Elsie #74 among girls in New Zealand.
Ellie and Elsie over time
Ellie and Elsie appear together in 5 published lists, across 91 years of shared records. Ellie held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Elsie in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Ellie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Elsie in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2014, Elsie moved ahead of Ellie in England and Wales · Girls — #43 and #47 the year before became #43 and #32.
- Longest-running competitions
Ellie and Elsie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #119 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Ellie #25 in 2023, Elsie #24 in 2025.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Elsie in 12.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Elsie #8 in 2025.
The order changed in 2014: Elsie moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #43 and #47; by 2014 that had become #43 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #119, Elsie #8.
Republic of Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1999–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Elsie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Elsie #55 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Elsie #55.
Northern Ireland · Girls17 shared years, 2007–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Elsie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2007, Elsie #27 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #18, Elsie #27.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls13 shared years, 2013–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Elsie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #25 in 2023, Elsie #24 in 2025.
The order changed in 2025: Elsie moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #27 and #38; by 2025 that had become #32 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #32, Elsie #24.
New Zealand · Girls8 shared years, 2015–2023
Ellie held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Elsie in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #31 in 2021, Elsie #53 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ellie #40, Elsie #74.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Ellie | Elsie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. | Shares the root meaning of Elizabeth: 'my God is an oath', inherited via the Scots form Elspeth. |
| Origin | Various, diminutive form | Scottish, via Elizabeth |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.i/ | /ˈɛlsi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Elspeth |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #15 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #8 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin, while Elsie is recorded with a Scottish, via Elizabeth origin.
- Ellie and Elsie both have 2 syllables.
- Ellie's recorded meaning differs from Elsie's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Ellie a "medium" Data Confidence level and Elsie a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Ellie
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Elsie
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #301 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #8 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls